ATLANTA—Steve Kros, formerly of from CRE Capital Advisors in Boston, has joined Ridge Development as executive vice president and is charged with expanding the firm's East Coast operations from its offices here.

Kros, who is relocating from Boston to Atlanta, will focus on identifying business opportunities from New York to Florida and assembling professional teams to handle the new projects for the Chicago-based firm. Kros was a principal for CRE Capital Advisors. He also served as vice president at AMB Property Corp., where he spearheaded all real estate development and acquisition investments in multiple East Coast markets. In 2010, he sourced, underwrote and closed $72 million in acquisitions, representing 34% of AMB's total U.S. acquisition volume for that year.

“Steve has an excellent track record of establishing successful business foundations in new markets, and he will utilize that experience to achieve Ridge Development's aggressive expansion plans,” says Jim Martell, president of Ridge Development. “Steve's exceptional talent and diverse background make him the perfect fit for this role.”

Ridge Development, the industrial development arm of Transwestern Development Company, says it intends to hire additional professionals in Atlanta as well as other gateway markets including New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Miami, Charleston, SC, Savannah, GA, Jacksonville, FL, Tampa, FL, and Virginia in its efforts to broaden its East Coast operations.

Kros will initially oversee each East Coast project, including site selection, entitlement, construction, leasing and disposition.